eurovision 1961
Laila Kinnunen
Laila Kinnunen represented Finland at Eurovision 1961 in Cannes with “Valoa ikkunassa”, finishing 10th of 16.
- who
- Finnish singer
- born
- 8 November 1939, Vantaa, Finland
- died
- 26 October 2000 (aged 60), Heinävesi, Finland
- contest
- 1961
- best result
- 10th, 1961
- music
- schlager, jazz
- active
- from 1957
- record labels
- Scandia
- sang for
- Finland
Biography
Laila Kinnunen, who died in 2000, was one of the most popular Finnish singers of the 1950s and 1960s. Kinnunen sang the first song Finland sent to the contest, “Valoa ikkunassa”, and finished joint tenth in Cannes in 1961.
Written by ESC Predictions, 8 October 2026. Sources: Wikipedia, “Laila Kinnunen”.
Follow and listen
Listen
Look up
The act’s own accounts, as listed on Wikidata. If one is wrong or out of date, tell us and we’ll take it down.
At Eurovision
One song, and what became of it.
-
1961 Cannes
“Valoa ikkunassa”
10th of 16 Finished 10th of 16, with 6 points.
- Sung in
- Finnish
- Written by
- Eino Hurme, Sauvo Puhtila
- Conductor
- George de Godzinsky
- Running order
- 4th of 16
- Age on the night
- 21
- Won that year
- Luxembourg: Jean-Claude Pascal, “Nous les amoureux”
The story of Eurovision 1961: Sixteen countries, a garden on stage, and a love song with a secret
Results as published by the European Broadcasting Union. Biographical details from Wikidata. The photo is from Wikimedia Commons and is credited beside it. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll fix it.